Weinstein rolls with Fraggle Rock movie

[Drtooth]

I just don't understand. If Weinstein doesn't have the money (and we know that since they were trying to find yet another backer), why not find another company altogether? I mean, I would hate to see the Fraggles end up in the hands of someone who would turn it into every other "children's" movie, but there must be some studio out there willing to take a chance on the Fraggles and stay true to the spirit of Fraggle Rock.

That's the problem. Weinstine had just enough street cred to be an "indie" film producer- by which I mean the ones that the studios actually produce themselves, put big stars in, and just slap the word indie on it to make you think you're watching high art. They would have given the Henson company the luxury to not screw around with the concept because it doesn't look good as a fast food promotion that they'll refuse anyway to make themselves look like they care. Every negative thing you can say about Hollywood studio heads is true, and they often care more about making money than who'd be willing to give them just as much, if not more in box office receipts. Basically people holding a bad of money that will throw it off a cliff if they could pick up a quarter.

Had some other studio got involved, they WOULD turn it into every other kids movie... cheap CGI's hip hop dancing to outdated music while speaking in outdated slang. I know I keep picking on Marmaduke... but I saw a preview for it where a character says "Word!" WHAT the WHAT? ! No one uses that anymore! Might as well have them say groovey or far out... or "Bully! That's a capital notion, eh what?" I dread the Smurfs movie, especially as a smurfs fan and a Eurocomics fan.

Think about it... "This summer, the Fraggles get Jiggy with it!" E-gad! I'd rather no movie than some slimy, old fogey, ulcer-ridden studio exec's miserable attempt at being hip to grab in the "ethnics". Corey wanted NONE of that in the film, and he knows we would protest if it were. So, in a nutshell, that's the problem.

I mean, if MGM can put out Hobbit and James Bond movies then the ecomomy is just bad all around the film industry.

MGM had NO intent on making a Hobbit movie! I know it, you know it, we ALL know it! they greedily bought up the rights when the LOTR trilogy was being made so they can grab at their cash, and since they never made it, they're sitting on the rights like a fat greedy kid who doesn't want to share a toy he has no interest in. James Bond? After that last one, they're probably trying to restructure it again.

No, but that's just because I am picky when it comes to movies - believe it or not! I still say you should try "Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs"

I respect the original book and despise Sony CGI wannabe animation studios too much to want to. Come on. It's all a well meaning scientist who was trying to get his father's approval? At least make it a batnuts psychopath mad scientist, not some lovable lug. Yuck. Ruined a book AND mad science to boot.

 

[frogboy4]

MGM had NO intent on making a Hobbit movie! I know it, you know it, we ALL know it! they greedily bought up the rights when the LOTR trilogy was being made so they can grab at their cash, and since they never made it, they're sitting on the rights like a fat greedy kid who doesn't want to share a toy he has no interest in. James Bond? After that last one, they're probably trying to restructure it again.

It's a company cash flow issue for 007. Both Bond films performed about the same domestically and worldwide with each total nearly $600 million dollars in the box office. There as a few purists that don't like the new films, there always are with this sort of thing, but that has had no impact on decision making for the franchise. It's strong. I believe they were in the early stages of shooting the new film when the plug was pulled. No money = no movie.

I really do think that MGM does want to make the Hobbit films. That's why they're clinging so close to the rights. Maybe they're looking for a partner to shoulder the financial burden while they reap the profits? That seems like the case.

Money's just tight everywhere. If the Fraggles were at Fox or Sony they would have rushed it into production and it would have been out by now. Not sure if that's such a good thing, but this holding-pattern is silly. A Fraggle movie right now would help the Weinsteins so much!

 

[Drtooth]

It's a company cash flow issue for 007. Both Bond films performed about the same domestically and worldwide with each total nearly $600 million dollars in the box office. There as a few purists that don't like the new films, there always are with this sort of thing, but that has had no impact on decision making for the franchise. It's strong. I believe they were in the early stages of shooting the new film when the plug was pulled. No money = no movie.

I hear a LOT of people that loved Casino Royal thought Quantum of Solace was too dry. It sounds like they're trying to play around with the formula to copy the success of the first one, but they didn't quite get it the second time. And frankly, the last bunch of Pierce Bronsan ones were the batman and Robin of the Franchise. They had to stop everything and start it all over again to keep the franchise from sinking.
[/quote]Money's just tight everywhere. If the Fraggles were at Fox or Sony they would have rushed it into production and it would have been out by now. Not sure if that's such a good thing, but this holding-pattern is silly. A Fraggle movie right now would help the Weinsteins so much![/QUOTE]

To me, it seems like they're that bad off that they can't even try to make money to save themselves even if it was a sure thing. Imagine that you have a sure fire way to get a pricey lottery ticket that will make you a millionaire no matter what, but you just don't even have the money to try. Heck, I hear that Joe Murray had to bankroll a new cartoon series by PLEDGING.

Actually... that doesn't sound like a bad idea. I'm sure some wealthy Muppet fans would be willing drop the master replicas and fancy collectibles to buy stock in the movie. If I had anything, I'd give a big envelope with a check made out to Weinstine in it if it could get this movie going. As I said in the other thread, I'm sure the Smurf movie will hurt this film if it doesn't get out of the "Outgoing" box soon.

 

[Drtooth]

Very Worrysome update

Seems Weinsuck is trying to edge Corey out of writing the film

I'm sorry... but is there ANY other options for Henson than Weinstine?

THEY are the source of the Fraggle Film hold up.

THEY are the reason the script had to be rewritten every other month for several years.

THEY are the source of financial doubt that's been keeping this movie down.

And now THEY want the film to be a piece of crap because they think they'll make more money if it's like everything else out there that bombs!

I say, Henson... consider your options. Move the movie to another production company. One that has MONEY, maybe.

This is very alarming news, and it really seems that any future for this movie is in doubt. Corey seems VERY upset at this news and we all should be.

I hope that if this film never gets made, or turns into the Smurf film, Weinstine goes so belly up that Orion would look like a viable studio by comparison.

 

[RedPiggy]

At this point, I'd even bring FR back into the Muppetverse and let Disney do it. What the frell is wrong with this company? I mean, "Boober wearing bling" made me laugh ... but FR isn't Shrek, it isn't Dinosaurs, it isn't Hoodwinked ... it's Fraggle Rock. It's a show where bad thing happen on a regular basis, but can still hoodwink people into thinking it's sugary sweet all the time. It's a show that could mock you without you really getting it until 10 years later. Where are the cajones for this company? Why settle for a cookie cutter movie that no one will remember ... well, maybe you could bribe Nostalgia Critic to do so for you, after all ... instead of making something relatively unique and refreshing? Do we really want FR The Movie to end up on Nostalgia Critic's website some day, him blasting it as a movie that should never have been made? This isn't just some "movie". For me, it's a hope we could get more out of this. Even if they didn't have the money for a full tv series or something, maybe something as simple as a parody of Meerkat Manor on youtube, with "hidden cameras" showing us the daily lives of Fraggles or something. Uncle Matt practically equates with youtube vids. It's a match made in heaven. I don't want some summer popcorn movie like Transformers which is fun to watch but definitely not Oscar-worthy. I want a great movie that will jumpstart the Hensons back into awesomeness. Someone apparently believed in Power of the Dark Crystal ... no one wants to give the poor Fraggles some spare change to make them epic?

 

[Drtooth]

You know, I'm picking up a real Apple computers vibe from Weinstoned here. You know, that "we have independent hip young thinkers street cred, but we're not above being just as cutthroat as everybody else" bit.

For realz, here... we NEED to get Henson to move to another company with this films. Weinstupor has been dragging their feet on this for years now, and wanting to fire someone who had been painstakingly writing and rewriting and waiting for more rewrites seems like the same snot movements from every other studio out there that HAS the MONEY and the POWER to actually get this film out within a decade of it's announcement.

Hey, Weinos... Marmaduke opened at 6th, right under dollar theater showings of Iron Man. Think long and hard about that, if its even possible.

 

[BobThePizzaBoy]

This has become ridiculous. The Weinstein deal has to end right now! The Hensons need a new distributor to co-produce this movie with!

Disney has been doing gangbusters work with the Muppets, did it ever occur to Henson that Disney can do the same with the Fraggles?

LionsGate's deal with the Hensons has been superb, it seems they have the money to produce a Fraggle movie!

Heck, I'd say even go back to Sony at this point! Yeah, the studio that forced that made the Henson's last few movies flop but surely the studio politics have changed there! At least they gave Henson a degree of creative freedom.

Cory and the Henson Company have to walk away from the Weinstein Company ASAP. I'd rather see the Fraggle movie just not be made rather than having a fledgling film studio sit on the script for two years without lifting a finger.

 

[frogboy4]

Edwards has been such a Weinstein supporter in the past, but the company appears to be holding up the release of Hoodwinked Too and the production of Fraggle Rock the Movie. To be honest, part of me has felt that the Henson Company could have been the hold-up due to their recent struggling track record, but this is clearly not the case. Sorry JHC for any doubts that I held.

Once again a company doesn't understand what made the Fraggles work in the first place! The Fraggles are an escape from edge; an answer to the need for that false bravado. They are the innocent eyes looking at circumstances with a fresh perspective; they are not cynical and any bit of sarcastic moment comes from the heart instead of some sort of crass nod to a social norm.

The Fraggles are primarily about four things: wonder, connectedness, humor and song. That's it. And they're successful at it. Jim Henson swiftly ended the program when new executives at HBO wanted to change that winning dynamic. We don't need another Chipmunk Movie that has Gobo saying something gawd-awful as, “…shake what your Mama gave ya’!" while spiking a football. That's for another property in need of desperate attempts for attention, not anything in the Henson stratosphere. They manage to avoid that.

It appears like Weinstein Company has poured a little poison into the project at a time when the best thing they could do is step away from it and allow Cory and the Fraggle performers work their magic in bringing a stand-out blockbuster film to the screen - a film that won't be disposable tripe audiences are used to getting. The Weinstein Company used to stand for that. Maybe their current financial troubles have something to do with losing their way and lowering their standards.

Hey Harvey, you guys can do better and the Fraggles are giving you the chance to rise from your company’s recent mediocrity. Let the Fraggles be the Fraggles and they will help save your company!

Very disturbing.

 

[Drtooth]

Cory and the Henson Company have to walk away from the Weinstein Company ASAP. I'd rather see the Fraggle movie just not be made rather than having a fledgling film studio sit on the script for two years without lifting a finger.

I agree with everything BUT calling them a fledgling studio. They're been in business for years. Again, it's just like Apple and it's "four legs good, two legs BETTER" logic. A group of independent young thinkers who say "Things are going to be different," Then wind up being exactly the same as, if not worse than everyone else.

After all, as far as I've known, the company was a splinter that came out when Disney refused to produce Fahrenheit 9/11 (to which Disney made a terrible, cheap and rushed "YAY AMERICA!" movie). That's the kind of thinking that this movie needed. The "if you're not interested, then we'll do it" logic became "We're not interested in making it unless you dumb it down so we can make money." Especially since they're going under at a time when almost everyone is. They care more about keeping their stupid production company than making movies to keep it in business.

Corey Edwards is someone passionate about making this film. he came in here, and even stated things on his blog, basically saying "I'm making a film you guys will be proud of! No Shrek clones, no Underdog the Movie!" even though he didn't have to. Taking the script away from him and hiring someone who just wants to put it on their resume so they can be assigned the next Eddie Murphy playing multiple roles film (or, fingers crossed, Big Mama's House 4!) and rushes a lame script is basically what EVERYONE else in the business would do.

They better reconsider. And Henson BETTER check their options, as I've been saying since last year.

 

[Super Scooter]

Weinstein, your company is sick and perverse. How dare you take something as pure and wonderous as Fraggle Rock and twist the life out of it? Jim Henson was a genius. A man of vision. It is an insult to Jim, his legacy, and everything the man stood for that you would even consider doing this to the Fraggles.

To Brian and Lisa Henson, please get out of this deal with the Weinstein Company. I missed out on the Fraggles as a child, and never really got to see them until I was in my teens, but children need the Fraggle brand of entertainment... the way that it should be. Not the way this hack of a company would care to see it. Children don't need more "edginess," they need fun. They need laughter and love and life lessons as only the Fraggles could teach them.

Did I not say only a few days ago that this would happen? Weinstein has turned against their core audience. They have betrayed not only Cory Edwards and the Jim Henson Company, they have betrayed US. We've become the next "Fanboys" for Weinstein's monster to sink it's vicious claws into.